Reagan Democratic counties

[nclib]

There's been a bit of disagreement on the forum about what constitutes Reagan Democrats. Some say white working-class Dems, but that was actually Mondale's base, even winning the eastern Kentucky CD. These are the counties which voted for Reagan but no other Republican the past 40 years.

This is just New England. Please add to this list:

Norfolk, MA (voted for Reagan both times)
Essex, MA (both)
Berkshire, MA (once)
Hampden, MA (once)

[Nym90]

Since 1972 is included, that narrows your list quite a bit. Massachusetts is the best example of this phenonomenon, since Reagan won it twice and no other Republican has carried it since 1956.

[nclib]

Since 1972 is excluded, that narrows your list quite a bit. Massachusetts is the best example of this phenonomenon, since Reagan won it twice and no other Republican has carried it since 1956.

Yeah, that does narrow it down. There are none from MD/DE/PA/NJ/NY. Do you know of a better way to do this?

[bgwah]

In WA, that would be Mason, Pierce, and Thurston counties, which are all in the South Sound. Sounds about right. There are quite a few conservative Democrats in that region.

You could also add Jefferson and Cowlitz, I guess, though Reagan only won them in 1980 (and primarily because of Anderson).

[memphis]

Gonna be hard to play this game in the South. Before Reagan we had a series of unusual circumstances. Jimmy Carter. The 1972 landslide. Landmark voting legislation. The 1964 landslide, which was, of course, reversed in the South. And a series of regional third party candidates.

[nclib]

For the Midwest:

Ohio: Athens (1) (actually voted GOP in 1968)
          Lucas (2)
Illinois: Jackson (2) (also voted GOP in 1968)
Michigan: Lake (1)
There are none in IN and WI.

Athens (Ohio U) and Jackson (So. Ill.) were results of 18-20 year-olds getting the right to vote.

[Nym90]

Since 1972 is excluded, that narrows your list quite a bit. Massachusetts is the best example of this phenonomenon, since Reagan won it twice and no other Republican has carried it since 1956.

Yeah, that does narrow it down. There are none from MD/DE/PA/NJ/NY. Do you know of a better way to do this?

No, I think the criteria you outlined is the best if the goal is to get an idea of what areas Reagan had a unique appeal to, even above and beyond his national standing.

[nclib]

It appears the only others are:

Lac Qui Parle, MN (2)
Lincoln, MN (2)
Big Stone, MN (1)
Buffalo, SD (2)

Wow. Only 12 in the whole country. Buffalo (SD) is surprising since it's extremely poor.

In WA, that would be Mason, Pierce, and Thurston counties, which are all in the South Sound. Sounds about right. There are quite a few conservative Democrats in that region.

You could also add Jefferson and Cowlitz, I guess, though Reagan only won them in 1980 (and primarily because of Anderson).

All voted for Nixon in 1972.

[SingingAnalyst]

As I see it, the term "Reagan Democrat" usually means "socially conservative Democrat" (race, welfare, crime, abortion, etc.) It normally would not be used to describe someone who voted McGovern in '72 and Dukakis in '88. Even so, there were more Reagan Democrats in Massachusetts than that state's liberal reputation would suggest. Of course, Macomb County, MI is the capital of the Reagan Democrats (and with some justification, as Reagan did better in '84 than any other Republican including Nixon in '72). I think it also implies supporting Democrats at the state and local level, which Macomb County, MI generally does. (Today Macomb County has changed demographically from the 1980s; Obama carried Macomb twice).